Search Results for 'LS'

[Anonymous]

And, same as you, Kayleigh, I also had to start eating meat again after 4 years. I first became a vegetarian because of the way those animals are handled that we eat. However, for health reasons, I have to eat meat and if it’s me or a cow, I choose me. I am perfectly aware of the cruelty involved in the meat, whatever kind, that I eat, but it’s part of me being healthy. It’s horrible, but it’s life. The article that started this thread, however, seems something else entirely. What exactly was gained from boiling the monkey? Why hasn’t that facility been shut down? I didn’t read the whole thing, too disturbing.

[JanS]

Ken…I saw that article last week, and it definitely made me pause. I suppose we all have things form our youth, from our past, that we have changed as we have matured, become wiser (at times). But…how recent was his little ditty about “Bomb, bomb, bomb Iran”? Not that long ago, and not fitting behavior for a man who would like to be president IMO. Sort of blatantly tells us where he stnads, even if he does say it was in jest.

What struck me about that article was the comments.. wow, some really scary thinking out there…

[Anonymous]

Pray.. I don’t know if you were being sarcastic or not, but I believe I did state my opinion in so many words. All I’m saying is that people should think about what they eat and then think about what is done in order for them to eat those things. I will never understand people that complain about animal cruelty and then go eat lobster or a cheeseburger! It seems Kayleigh is doing her part by hardly eating any meat. She, or someone who is entirely vegetarian, is someone who can talk about cruelty to animals. They don’t contribute to it.

[Ken]

To get back to the original topic :)

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/opinion/348434_mccainonline24.html?source=mypi

excerpt:

Don’t be fooled by the myth of John McCain

JOHANN HARI

A lazy, hazy myth has arisen out of the mists of New Hampshire and South Carolina. Across the pan-Atlantic press, the grizzled 71-year-old Vietnam vet, John McCain, is being billed as the Republican liberals can live with.

read the rest at the link.

[Macsmom]

Two suggestions:

First – for preschool aged kids we have wonderful Parent Cooperative Preschools here in West Seattle. Classes are a couple of hours a few days per week (depending upon the age of the children) with parents working in the classroom together with a preschool teacher, and parents also have the assistance and insight of Parenting Instructors who are provided by SSCC and are GREAT resources! http://dept.seattlecolleges.com/homelife/welcome.htm

SECOND – for school aged girls, Girl Scouts of Western Washington offers a fantastic leadership program for girls k-12. Girls are placed into local troops with other girls in their age range. If you are interested, contact Deb Cayze at Council: DebAC@girlscoutsww.org or visit http://www.girlscoutsww.org

[PrayingMan-tis-i]

Yes, I do eat lobster, but not often. Why not state your point, new resident? KAYLEIGH – My point about subjectiveness is glaringly obvious to me and you and even those who could care less about animals or the enviornment, period, but that’s just it – not all would see this as cruel, which is partly why I also pointed out that passion runs deep and differently for all of us. Yes, I have seen cruelty to animals firsthand, no, it’s not nice, and no, I wouldn’t do it.

[JoB]

why is it that it is so much easier to butcher an animal once it is dead than to kill it for butchering. It’s a paradox. i can do one… and eat what is butchered.. but have great difficulty with the other.

And i don’t buy the premise that one type of creature (mammals) is more or less sentient than others.

I live with dogs and am quite sure they are far more intelligent and aware than most scientists give them credit for.

And i have watched insect colonies. have you ever noticed that a spider generally will freeze the moment you look at them? They are certainly aware of our body language and understand it’s likely consequences.

I don’t think i could be intentionally cruel to any living creature… but i can’t rule out the possible necessity.

Was that clip one of them? i don’t know and never will because i won’t watch it.

And no, i don’t believe that what i can’t or won’t see is just fine.

humans are ful of paradoxes.

[JoB]

i can only tell you that when we rented our current house, large chained dogs had destroyed the lawn in the back yard.

Our landlord simply threw out a bag of seed in the fall… not even bothering to do prep work.. and we have some pretty healthy grass out there.

i would hope you would do prep work, but his experience tells me that you are unlikely to fail no matter what which method you choose.

good luck

[JoB]

Ken,

I wasn’t trying to slander Obama.

Would you have been happier if i had skipped the last two presidential campaigns and used the example of Bill Clinton’s campaign promises? He certainly didn’t deliver what he promised in some very fundamental ways.

The question becomes how close their marketing resembles the reality of their positions.

Clinton was an unknown charismatic… and i think his actual positions didn’t surface until he was embroiled with the presidency.

I don’t think that turned out well for progressive democrats.

Bush’s campaign was simply the most recent and blatant example of a Presidential candidate’s marketing being at odds with his reality… I certainly didn’t call Obama a lieing sack of sh.t … nor do i think that. And yes, i do think Bush was. I think his record in Texas was very clear for anyone who bothered to look at it.

There is a clear difference between Republican and Democratic candidates. And for those who are looking for a place to get offended, please let me go on record as stating that i think there is a serious gulf of truth between the marketing of the Republican hopefuls and their actual positions… but that is another post:)

As to Obama, i merely reacted to one article in the Nation contrasting the two Democratic hopefuls and stated my response to it.

Between Democrats, we should be talking about minor ideological differences… and those small differences can matter a great deal.

We know that Obama’s “progressive views” are not reflected in his congressional record. He does seem to come in slightly to the left of Hillary, but only slightly. So it is less than truthful to market him as a being more progressive than she.

As for his political advisors, i think we can be fairly sure of at least one of them, Ted Kennedy:)

I would be far more comfortable if we had a better idea who the others were. To me.. this increases my concern about the unknown and makes his campaign harder to evaluate.

Hillary’s bunch…

“Terry McAuliff is a world class snake, known liar and completely owned by the corporate overlords especially the telco/ communication and media giants. Mark Penn and Chris LeHane are professional liars and PR flacks specializing in union busting.”

Every campaign has PR flacks and outright liars.

That’s part of the business of getting elected. I am glad she has selected the very best she can find. She will need them if she goes head to head with the Republicans. And since we are allowed to assume here:) I assume she realizes that is really all they are good at.

However when it comes to policy “Wes Clark, Madeline Albright and Ambassador Holbrook ” are a pretty substantial lineup, don’t you think?

Who will Obama have instead? At this point, we have absolutely no idea.

Thus my comment… with Hillary you get what you see. We are pretty sure we know what we will get from her.

It’s just an opinion Ken.

I have never said that i don’t think Obama is a viable candidate. I just don’t think he is the best candidate right now.

I would be much happier supporting him in 4 years because i don’t believe that Hillary will survive past 4 years of telling America hard truths and non-stop “scrutiny”… and i believe hard truths and hard decisions are going to be the only way America can begin to pull back from the incredible mess we are in right now.

I honestly think my candidate is the right woman for the job for some pretty substantial reasons.

Still, i am actively involved in plenty of conversations with those who disagree with me because it is only by hearing the opinions of all sides (yes, including republicans) that we can truly clarify our own opinions.

[Anonymous]

I don’t know. I think it’s a little hypocritical to designate why, for one type of animal something is cruel and inhumane and not so for another. That’s a horrible article, but I also think it’s sickening to hear the lobster scream as they get boiled alive. Believe me, they literally scream. I was a vegetarian for 4 years, not anymore, because of the cruelty of the animals I and everyone eats. Have you seen what they do to cows? First hand? An animal is an animal and there are numerous things done to them to not only better our lives, but just maintain it as we know it.

[Ken]

Given the current last rung of medical testing before human trials, there is nothing wrong with using animals for medical testing and primates are the last line of defense between an amoral industry (big Pharma) and a now subverted FDA.

If we have another industry friendly administration, I suspect they will dispense with the monkeys and go straight to the homeless and prisoners.

But the article above just shows needless cruelty and abuse.

If you don’t care about the primates, note that such abuse and mistreatment can even alter the results of the testing if they were abused during last stage drug trials.

[Erik]

Non mammals only have reptilian brains, no ability to bond, no emotions, etc. Whereas all mammals have a neo-cortex with limbic structures in their brains that allow them to bond with other beings…this is why you see orphaned animals of one species being raised by a mother lion or some other big mammal that seems weird to us. A lobster or your pet snake don’t have this capacity to care about other beings, not even their young.

When humans torture anything it’s not because they don’t have the capacity to care, but for some reason this has been stunted.

[Ken]

Comparing Obama to Bush seems a bit forced if not a rationalization for a choice already made.

“If conservatives were compassionate, they wouldn’t have to put the adjective in front of it.” – Wesley Clark

I knew Bush was lying the first time I heard that “compassionate conservative” line. His record of mismanagement, incompetence and down hard ignorance with a mean streak was legendary in Texas.

But it seems to have escaped the corporate media.

So we reached the “Mencken point”

–On July 26, 1920, HL Mencken wrote in The Evening Sun:

“As democracy is perfected, the office of president represents, more and more closely, the inner soul of the people. On some great and glorious day the plain folks of the land will reach their heart’s desire at last and the White House will be adorned by a downright moron.”

— H.L. Mencken(1880-1956)

Republicans and sometimes Conservative Democrats suffer from a condition that can only be described as empathy constriction.

Their empathy can only reach the end of their arms. So anyone they hug or shake hands with regularly can share in their empathy and be treated like another human. Everyone else is “the Other” and “The Stranger” or deamonized into “The Enemy”

Wars are seldom caused by spontaneous hatreds between people, for peoples in general are too ignorant of one another to have grievances and too indifferent to what goes on beyond their borders to plan conquests. They must be urged to the slaughter by politicians who know how to alarm them.”

— Henry Mencken

Notice how those who suffer from this condition change their views when confronted with what was only an issue for “other people”.

The Cheney’s don’t join in the gay bashing now that they have a daughter that is out.

Nancy Reagen was all for stem cell research when there was a chance it could have eased St Ronnie’s suffering. And a wingnut talk show host gets converted to “health care for all” by one painful and long visit to the emergency room.

My brother in Law is not quite as gung-ho as he used to be since his son watched the driver of his hummer killed by an rpg that went through my nephews open window.

Most of us developed empathy as children. In some Democrats I think it extends too far. I know one highly educated man who neglected his own children while traveling around the world building water systems, wells and hospitals as a member of half a dozen charitable organizations, some religious, some not.

Another feels livestock are worthy of the same protections as humans, ignoring the fact that they would not exist if they were not both tasty and edible.

And we now have a chance to start the recovery.

Either Hillary or Obama should probably be expected to do little harm to the constitution, though I think the scale tilts a little towards Obama as a constitutional scholar.

Hillary’s advisers and potential cabinet are a mixed bag. Wes Clark, Madeline Albright and Ambassador Holbrook are all smart and tough and though they have been through war, they will not use it as a substitute for buying resources on the world market. Terry McAuliff is a world class snake, known liar and completely owned by the corporate overlords especially the telco/ communication and media giants. Mark Penn and Chris LeHane are professional liars and PR flacks specializing in union busting.

Obama does not seem to have a specific group of associates waiting for patronage jobs that I can find. I can assume he has some good people as well as some of the ugly side of the direct mail industry in his campaign.

I don’t think he has been inside the beltway long enough to collect a large group of both saints and sinners that we can point to.

I will take either one. But I have to speak up when I see an unfair attack on either one, or both as it seems I have done in this forum.

[Kayleigh]

There’s a special circle of hell for people who are cruel to animals. I don’t think cruelty is subjective; it’s glaringly obvious.

Animals, IMO, have varying levels of sentience, ability to bond with us, awareness of self, emotionality, etc. Monkeys in particular are smart and aware in ways lobsters are not, and in any case, this monkey wasn’t eaten; it was tortured carelessly and needlessly with caustic chemicals.

[PrayingMan-tis-i]

Admittedly, I am not the biggest animal activist around, but I do care for the welfare and treatment of animals. What an ironic thought, really. Anyway, while I’m indifferent to whatever happens to coyotes or exotic cats, etc., but I do believe it’s wrong and irresponsible for people to own the latter. I’d also take issue to simple cruelty, which is really very subjective and relative – not everyone will agree and that’s fine, so long as we can be respectful of each others opinion.

For a research lab to boil a monkey alive ( http://www.kirotv.com/news/15189249/detail.html ), however, is too much for me. Yes, these animals are being used to benefit humanity, and they’ll meet the end of their lives for you and I to do it, but how terrible. I’m sure this is a very controversial topic that people can be very passionate about, but let’s be responsible with what’s been left in our care!

[JoB]

I wrote my reply to my friend and clarified my thinking.. so here it is:)

My problem with the article is that beyond the assertion that Hillary is a hawk and surrounds herself with hawks… there is little there beyond the fact that the south might find Obama a less bitter pill to swallow.

Again, what bothers me is the unknown.

When Bush was campaigning, he said all the right things, but there in his history was what he did.. not what he said.

I think Obama has shown us the same thing in his history… what he does is not the same as what he says.

Hillary on the other hand does pretty much what she says…and owns up to what she calls hard decisions that don’t always please.

something about that attracts me.

I really can’t wait to hear other reactions to this. Let er rip:)

[Ken]

I am still chewing but some of it sure taste “funny”.

There are other parties out there that haven’t received any press at all

Can you name some of those third parties? Google is little help today.

Wikipedia has the most complete info so go here for the overview.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_third_party_presidential_candidates,_2008

The communist party has not offered a candidate since 1988 google tells me and Brian Moore is again the candidate for the Socialist party USA (which I think only exist in California now)

The Constitution Party has a couple of unknowns and is trying to draft Ron Paul after he drops out of the Republican race (which I hope does not happen, RP could certainly liven up the usually boring, scripted convention)

The Green Party is trying to draft Ralph Nader.

Nuff Said.

The Libertarians have 9 candidates and they describe themselves in ways that cover every possible permutation from far left to bull goose looney.

They also are trying to draft Ron Paul.

Prohibition Party has some anti alcohol minister from some flyover state. As usual.

Independents. No party since they cannot agree on anything.

There are 26 of them running for president.

Good luck to them all.

One thing they all have in common?

They did not garner enough support to get on the ballot in Washington State.

Ok I chewed on that for a while and all I got was a vaguely bilious taste in my mouth.

Lets see what else you got.

Meanwhile I think it might be time to let liberals define liberalism.

---

I am a liberal. We live in a liberal democracy.

That’s what we created in this country. That’s in our Constitution. … I think we should be very clear on this. You know, this country was founded on the principals of the Enlightenment. It was the idea that people could talk, reason, have dialogue, discuss the issues. It wasn’t founded on the idea that someone would get stuck by a divine inspiration and know everything right from wrong. I mean, people who founded this country had religion, they had strong beliefs, but they believed in reason, in dialogue, in civil discourse. We can’t lose that in this country. We’ve got to get it back.

— Wes Clark – September 5, 2003

---

What do our opponents mean when they apply to us the label “Liberal?” If by “Liberal” they mean, as they want people to believe, someone who is soft in his policies abroad, who is against local government, and who is unconcerned with the taxpayer’s dollar, then … we are not that kind of “Liberal.” But if by a “Liberal” they mean someone who looks ahead and not behind, someone who welcomes new ideas without rigid reactions, someone who cares about the welfare of the people — their health, their housing, their schools, their jobs, their civil rights, and their civil liberties — someone who believes we can break through the stalemate and suspicions that grip us in our policies abroad, if that is what they mean by a “Liberal,” then I’m proud to say I’m a “Liberal.”

— John F. Kennedy, September 14, 1960

---

Long ago, there was a noble word, LIBERAL, which derived from the word FREE [libre]. Now a strange thing happened to that word. A man named Hitler made it a term of abuse, a matter of suspicion, because those who were not with him were against him, and liberals had no use for Hitler. And then another man named McCarthy cast the same opprobrium on the word. Indeed, there was a time–a short but dismaying time–when many Americans began to distrust the word which derived from FREE. One thing we must all do. We must cherish and honor the word FREE or it will cease to apply to us….

— Eleanor Roosevelt

[Kayleigh]

As to why the Green and Libertarian parties don’t gain momentum: I don’t think they offer a viable alternative. The views they hold don’t resonate with enough people–plus they don’t have the years of establishment, infrastructure, money, etc. There are always the “anti” people who consider themselves independent,renegades,anti-whatever-is-popular, etc. who will latch onto someone outside the two main parties. But that’s not most Americans,I don’t think.

Must also say McCain is no liberal in my mind, and no ally to those of us truly on the left. Interesting that some neo-cons see him that way–shows you how far right the right wing has become. If you are against torture, I guess that makes you a liberal.

[Ken]

Turning short is ok on traffic calming devices which is what a “traffic circle” is called here by the Dept of Poor Planning.

I don’t think I have seen any real “roundabouts” here in Seattle that I can remember.

Also note, the only traffic they “calm” seems to be school buses, delivery trucks and access buses.

The double truck dump trucks and construction vehicals just run over them at full speed and the suv’s and low riders both just blast through with a cell phone glued to their ear.

I am close enough to one to set up a web cam.

[Ken]

repost of text from a post the edit button ate.

---

This is a little confusing to me as well so bear with me.

In the past, the process was time consuming and sometimes acrimonious due to the loose conversational style of proposals some submitted and those who deal with precise or legal language trying to amend them into usable shape right in the precinct caucus.

Further adding to the confusion, were submittals of hundreds of proposals/resolutions that varied only slightly from each other. The district caucus ended up handing out colored stick on dots (I forget the number but it was more than ten) to each credentialed delegate, and posting each proposal all the way around the gym at West Seattle High. Each delegate then walked around the gym and put a “dot” on each proposal they agreed with.

While this might be democratic, it ain’t efficient and many people left the meeting in search of food before it was complete.

This year proposals will be accepted at the precinct caucus with no discussion. The will be returned to the area caucus coordinator who will forward them to the county chair to be condensed and codified by a committee into legal, precise, and hopefully coherent proposals.

Example proposals are not that easy to find but

here is one google located that shows the original language with strike throughs for deleted and amended language.

If you want to use a basic format from the past (English common law I believe)

Stating the reasons for the proposal/resolution in a series of sentences beginning with the word “Whereas” and then summarize the proposal/ resolution with a sentence or two that start with “Be it Resolved” of something similar.

[sw]

For those of you who used to patronize The Beach House Restraurant down on Alki and lament its closing years ago – you might be enthused to know that chef Michael has a bistro open in Burien called “Bistro Baffi.”

The food is the same (excellent), and the new space is much larger and nicer (no plastic chairs or tables!). Also, they now have a full bar. It’s kind of like what the Beach House wanted to be when it grew up.

Former Beach House fans, you may now rejoice. To those who didn’t have the pleasure, you have a great dining option next time you’re down South.

Bistro Baffi

15217 21st Ave SW

[AdamOnAlki]

HEY!

So when I was away at college in Los Angeles, like many Americans I fell in-love with LOST. Many of my classmates did as well. It was great. We would all gather together on Wednesday nights (now Thursdays) and excitedly bite our fingernails over the hour-long weekly action/drama.

Oh how do I miss that.

Now I watch by my lonesome, not having any Seattle friends who care as passionatly about Jack and Kate and Sawyer and Locke and Sayid and Hurley and…you get the point.

Anyway, I am looking for any West Seattle LOST parties? I know that they are out there. If not maybe a bunch of us could gather? Maybe? I have beer?

BTW, DID YOU WATCH TONIGHT?!?!?! WHAT THE HECK?!?

[Julie]

Thanks, Ken; I’m glad you added that point.

I also meant to point out that I don’t know about resolutions at the Republican caucus. The rules posted on the KC Republicans website do refer to a discussion of resolutions as one of the agenda items, so I assume one could bring a resolution forward there, too. I have put a start on a Republican version on the MorePerfect site, with the Democratic one, but it needs someone to add endorsements that would appeal more to Republicans.

[Michell]

I am considering kindergarten/elementary schools in the North Cluster (i.e. Alki, Cooper, Lafayette, and Schmitz Park) and am looking for parents that have had good experiences, bad experiences or any other comments about the above schools. Current parents or recent parents – let’s start a lively discussion. If you LOVE your kid’s school – sell me on it. If you hate it, why??

[JoB]

house..your assertion that McCain is liberal depends upon your definition of liberal i think:) Campaign finance reform following nearly getting your hand caught in the Keating cookie jar doesn’t exactly qualify one as a liberal.

and your assertion that democrats equal big government is also dependent upon definition. If you equate big government with big social programs, you might be right. But if you equate big government with huge tax relief and subsidies for private businesses you might be wrong.

the assertion that every new president equals change is also dependent upon definition. If your definition includes the words “in policy”, then a new president does not necessarily mean change.

As for why the alternate parties aren’t getting much attention this year… i think the last two elections are a good indicator of that. Alternates pulled enough “liberal” vote to lose an election for the democrats. Not a good idea this time:)

You do make some good points though and they sound like the basis for an interesting conversation.

I agree that all of the candidates sound as though they are speaking to second graders… and that is due to our sound bite driven press.

None of the candidates will quickly forget the press’s reaction to Kerry’s attempt at articulate answers in the last election. His front porch talks were actually quite thought provoking, but his press coverage was anything but.

America elected the candidate they would most like to have a beer with because that’s what the second graders led them to believe was important. A major award winning newspaper actually endorsed Bush for his second term because he was likable and they loved his campaign promises… in spite of acknowledging that he hadn’t fulfilled any of them in his first term. And this was on their editorial page. Amazing.

i think there are plenty of republicans as well as democrats who aren’t too happy with the directions our nation has taken. And i don’t think most of us believe that any of the presidential candidates now offered are the ideal solution. But you have to work with what you’ve got.

I just think it is time that American citizens became a larger part of the conversation than American business… and i hope it’s time for Americans to think for themselves and not just take the information offered by an increasingly sensationalized press as the final word.

Personally i don’t think your political affiliation is nearly as important as how you feel about issues that will affect all of us. When it comes to the real issues, rhetoric aside, most of us are more alike than different.

I am a conservative… a true conservative… a conservative democrat. imagine that:)